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Talawanda City superintendent outlines cybersecurity plan under HB96 as board approves routine purchases and contracts
Summary
The superintendent gave a biannual cybersecurity update tied to House Bill 96 compliance, saying the district plans to adopt the NIST/CIS framework and cannot pay ransom demands; the board also approved consent agenda items, a $99,584 OSBA membership renewal and a not-to-exceed $18,660 purchase for food-service hardware.
In a biannual update the superintendent (Speaker 6) told the board the district is moving to adopt a cybersecurity framework and is preparing to meet requirements of recent state legislation. He said the district has chosen NIST and CIS as guiding frameworks and plans to bring a formal resolution to the board between April and June, with full implementation targeted for July 1. "If any of our information is attacked and there is a request for ransom, we simply cannot pay the ransom," the superintendent said, describing the state's mandated reporting and review process.
The superintendent outlined work with regional partners — including SWOCA and the Butler County safety administrator — grant-seeking efforts and the formation of a compliance task force and an internal self-audit process. He emphasized training, inventorying systems and governance steps including statutory reporting requirements. The board noted the district recently added an assistant IT director to bolster capacity.
Following the presentation the board handled several routine approvals. The board approved a grouped consent motion to accept minutes, gifts, appropriation modifications and the November financial report. It voted to renew Ohio School Boards Association membership for calendar year 2026 at a cost of $99,584. The board also approved a not-to-exceed $18,660 purchase for replacement food-service hardware to modernize point-of-sale devices at elementary, middle and high schools and approved advertisement and professional design-service resolutions for a middle-school entry reconfiguration project.
Votes at a glance: the meeting record shows the motions carried in roll-call votes with affirmative responses recorded by multiple board members during the meeting.
The superintendent and board said cybersecurity work will continue through policy development and external collaboration, and the board expects a formal resolution adopting the chosen framework in the spring.
